(E.A.I) Toya Godzilla DONE! Review
 

Finally. A Frame that I dont have any problems with. The second I got on her I had a HUGE Grin on my face.

MY REVIEW of the TOYO GODZILLA:

First off let me say. Im not in anyway a know it all when it comes to Fixed gears. Im a novice compared to a lot of people who have been riding for 20 years +.....

This Frame arrived really well packaged. It was so well put in there that I had trouble getting it out for a while. I guess when it travels across the pacific it needs to be well packaged.
First off this frame is "Hand made in Osaka Japan" by the Toyo Frame company.
Ishigaki Yoshiaki ,who is the founder and still master frame builder, still runs day to day operations in Osaka. There are two places of operation. One in Osaka and one in Taiwan. The Taiwan operation is run by his son who was Mr.Yoshiaki's Son who was his apprentice for over 20 years. This Frame is built though, in Japan.

Heres a link more about him and his company:

http://www.handmadebikes.net/toyo-fr...g-dynasty.html

Anyway...

I got a good deal on the Frame from my LBS. Took a little while to get here but once it did. I spent 6 hours in the shop putting her together the same day. Also built the Rear wheel from the HUB which was my 2nd wheel build.

This Frame is made from Kaisei 022 tubing (just like Ishiwata 022), and is super light for a steel frame. I was really surprised at the weight. I was going to weigh it but I was so excited to put her together that I forgot..

There are stainless steel dropout in the rear, and both front and back are drilled for brakes. Which is kinda crappy, but i consider it a weight reduction.

The paint on her is Bright "Keirin" orange. When I first took her out of the box, It was a much deeper Sparkled orange than I thought it would be. Its a very deep yet radiant color. Pictures cant do it justice. Its tig welded. I normally dont like that type of welding but the quality is outstanding. Very flush and clean. You can tell time went into this frame.

She is a 1" thread less. Actually thats what I wanted. When shopping for a frame I wanted a 1inch because for a REALLY long time Ive been collecting parts for a 1" tube.

The RIDE.
After I put on all my parts. It just started to glow on the stand. The second I got on her she wanted to go. I mean FLY. Ive ridden quite a bit of ALUM Frames. And I like them a lot. But this Felt like a Steel frame like no other. Very similar to how Alum accelerates. Even Compared to a Bare knuckle, which IMO is still one of the best Track frames for the money around, this felt and feels quite a bit better. Its lighter, more nimble and stronger than any steel bike ive ridden. Now granted Im sure there are quite a bit more steel frames out there that are a better ride than this. But Ive not ridden one yet....Hope to do though.

The wound up fork reduces the weight in the front, but also has a litte more of a aggressive angle to it. Causing it to be a little quicker of a handle. I was going to put the original fork on her but my shop owner had a wound up on her bareknuckle and I like how it feels. Very related geometry to that of the bareknuckle. Also it really reduces a lot of road bumps and knickers yet still keeps it rigid. It's a solid fork.

You dont want to get off this bike. It wants to be ridden at any speed. Slow pace or fast shes like a really well trained horse that really loves you. Shes just damned solid.

She is twitchy. But not out of control twitchy. Very Short wheel base makes her accelerate like nuts!! This is NOT a cheap frame. In fact. I wish it was priced lower or closer to the Bare Knuckle. But I dont see that happening. It kinda sucks though because I think EAI has a HIT on their hand but they cant keep the costs lower, so it can get in the hands of people who would really appreciate it.



Granted I got a good price on her. But Still it wasnt cheap. But its worth every penny. Im not going to be buying a new bike for a while. This is not a toy. Not a Fixed gear that has the look but rides like crap. This can get you into a lot of trouble. Its a tool.

Here are the specs:

EAI Toyo Godzilla
FRONT-Phil Wood Low Flange 20 spoke DT swiss bladed to Velocity AeroHead
REAR- Phil Wood High Flange 32 spoke DT to Velocity D-V
Sugino 75 Crankset 48T
Phil wood COG 17T
Thompson Seatpost/STEM
NITTO RB-002 handlebar
WOUND UP front fork
Brooks Team Professional saddle.
Izumi Super Toughness chain
PINK Chris King Headset
Mks custom neuevo pedals, toshi doubles

TOTAL weight 18.2 Pounds. May replace the Brooks saddle to a get it below 17 pounds but not sure yet. The brooks weighs 1lb 5 ozs.

http://i31.tinypic.com/2q866mp.jpg
http://i32.tinypic.com/2z53wo2.jpg
http://i27.tinypic.com/xdbbia.jpg
http://i27.tinypic.com/30befma.jpg

Pardon the grammar and spelling errors. I just drank way too much coffee today...

SOCKS

tasty

I love wound up forks but you changed the whole bikes geometry by not using the stock fork. Nice components in the build but not feeling the colour choices at all. Thanks for the review though.

IMO the brooks sticks out like a sore thumb...

yea. It's from an another bike. Going to change it sooner than later, but I took off work today to ride and got a little carried away with riding. Next thing I know is shop is closed. :(

I like Godzilla's and BareKnuckles, mainly because both of them are beautiful steel bikes with nice tubings. However, I am not enjoying the pink King head set or the Veep, would've been nicer with the stock fork too. That's all I have to complain, but who cares what I think. If you like it, then all is well.:)

the headset and wheelset stick out like two sore thumbs.

yeah, like others have said, I don't like the fork, the pink headset, or the one blue veep, but who cares what I have to say about your bike? I am quite jealous of your frame and crankset. i want a 75 on my bareknuckle

I miss my 75s!! Get a matching rear wheel, toss the brooks & get a FLITE TI, silver headset to match a Thomson X2 in silver and you are all set. Nice ride!

i like the fork a lot.

The pink headset I'm actually very proud of. It's from a limited chris wood cancer edition. I raised money for a cancer ride in Dallas and it was a gift from Chris king, that and my close uncle died of cancer hence raising quite a bit of money.

All of the proceeds for the sale of the headset went to cancer awareness and research.
I get at least 350 riders (roadies) to ride once a year.....

I love asymmetric eclectic art. I also can't stand it when bikes match match too much. I used to match all my bikes, color coordinate, but after a while it got to the same point where I feel like I was a roadie again.

Most of the parts on this rig are all of CL or second hand. Save money or buy parts from other people at my LBS that need cash.

Here's a run through

EAI Toyo Godzilla - 700
FRONT-Phil Wood Low Flange 20 spoke DT swiss bladed to Velocity AeroHead-120
REAR- Phil Wood High Flange 32 spoke DT to Velocity D-V- 120
Sugino 75 Crankset 48T- 140
Phil wood COG 17T-free
Thompson Seatpost/STEM-free
NITTO RB-002 handlebar-40
WOUND UP front fork-180 (its 400 dollar fork)
Brooks Team Professional saddle.- trade plus 50 bucks
Izumi Super Toughness chain- free
PINK Chris King Headset- given to me for free
Mks custom neuevo pedals, toshi doubles-120 CL

Grand total === $$$1490

Not a bad deal. It just took a long time. This rig rides like a dream. And I've got a credit at another LBS for winning a spot in a rally this season...so I'm getting a brand new fizik saddle for 40 bucks.

Regardless I love merc rigs. I'll take sow better pics. I don't think I'm justifying her with my crappy pics.
She rides amazingly well. I took her out last night. She feels like a extension of my body. Never ridden a rig like this before. She's a daredevil.

Unbelievable, very nimble. Wants to handle to a point where I don't know if i can get her back, but she does get back and then wants MORE!! So light and quick. Man oh man. I feel as if i cant do her justice.

Socks

sweet bike. replacing that deep v will get you under 17 much easier than the brooks.

I dig the pink Chris King headset. Other than its sentimental value for yourself, I'm a fan of when things are purposely and tastefully unmatched.

While I can't say that I think it's the nicest looking bike around (don't get me wrong it still looks nice). I bet it rides really, really well.

And holy hell I had no idea how expensive Wound Up forks were.

Great looking bike....

sick. tarck as ****

btw, what part of dallas u in? My home town...

I'm in Plano/Dallas

Transit is my LBS. Great shop great people. Awesome knowledge of fixed gears. Some great riders as well.
We ride downtown, I work in downtown. But commute from Plano.

Socks

You weren't at Plano cycling yesterday were you? I was picking up my race packett for the disco tri and was admiring What I believe to be your fixed gear. If it is yours, the pictures do not give it justice that ride is beautiful!

Holy **** I was!! Small world! Yea. I'm friends with a tech there. I know almost every bike tech in Dallas.
I was picking up my fizik saddle there. I had a credit there.
Thanks for the heads up and the compliment!! I really appreciate the compliment!

I was thinking about doing that ride. But I have an exam I'm cramming for. :(

such a small world. Man.

Socks

Yeah its weird I saw your bike and I was like holy mother of god thats a nice fixed gear then I saw the writing by the cranks and I was like wait I recognize that and figured out it was from here. The tri was pretty good the roads were rough and my front tire blew and my rim payed for it :/ but whatevs still did pretty well.

Anyone interested,

Citygrounds has Godzillas for $599.

I'm actually pissed because I paid way more than that at my LBS. Plus shipping you're looking at 650-675. That's a really good deal for a amazing frame.

if it's a track woundup, the rake is probably the same therefore allowing the same geometry, just different look.

don't see how the fork would have messed up geometry, that looks pretty typical. and they make low rake wound ups, i have a 40 rake wound up (compared to ~38 original). only problem is axle to crown is longer on the woundup by a good margin, but bike still feels okay. they make a great fork.

that brooks looks like all sorts of wrong though.

a longer axle to crown and more rake will sort of cancel i believe.

if he got a wound up with less rake, id say that would fudge the geometry in an undesirable direction.